Needle guard for multiple-needle sewing machines



Feb. 1923. 1,444,532

.J. R. MOFF'ATT ET AL NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINESFiled NOV. 1'7, 1920 5 sheets-sheet l Feb. s, 1923. 1,444,632

- J. R. MOFFATT ET AL 4 NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINESFiled Nov. 17, 1920 I 54sheets-she et 2 Feb. 6, 1923.

' 1,444,632 J. R. MOFFATT ET AL NEEDLE GUARD F Oli MULTIPLE NEEDILE'SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 1'7, 1920 3 sheetssheet 3 (if 3114mm WC? 7ldatenteol 5, 1923.

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J'AIiIES 3. I'QOFFAT'I AND RALPH S. KELSO, OF CI IIGAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS TO.

OF ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE S.

Application filed November 17, 1920. Serial No. 424,698.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES R. MOFFAT'I' andRALPH S. KnLso, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively,at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Needle Guards for Multiple-Needle Sewing Machines, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures ofreference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and improvements in needle guards forsewing machines, and more particularly to needle guards for a multipleneedle abreast sewing machine having a threaded looper cooperating witheach needle and disposed so as to move in a direction substantiallyparallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as the loope'rs entertheir respective needle loops.

An object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of the abovecharacter with needle guards which are adapted to engage the respectiveneedles on the sides thereof passed by the loopers as the latter entertheir respective needle thread loops.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a sewing machine of theabove character with means for moving the needle guards into and out ofposition for engagement with the needles if deflected. A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a machine of the above characterhaving a spreader associated with and movable above each looper, whereinthe needle guard engages the needle below the path of movement of thelooper. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of theabove character with a needle guard having a groove in its face ofslightly less width than the diameter of the needle, whereby the needlewill be engaged and positioned without interfering with the freethrowing out of the needle threadloop for the looper to enter.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed.

' In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment ofthe invention:- I r v Figure 1 is a view, partly in front elevation' andpartly in vertical section, of a useful front portion of a machinehaving the improvements embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan new of a front portion of a machine showing theparts beneath the work support;

Fig/S is a detail in plan showing the loopers, the Spreaders and theneedle guards, and also the needles in dotted lines when the loopers areat the forward ends of their" strokes; I

Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the loopers just about to enter theneedle thread loops and the needles in section; I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing one of the needles in verticalsection, the needle guard, and the looperjust previous to, the

point thereof entering the needle thread loop p and k 6 1s a. sectionalview on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The invention is directed broadly to a multiple needle sewing machine ofthe type wherein a plurality of needles are set in a line at rightangles to the line of feed and a threaded looper cooperates with eachneedle, said loopers being supported and positioned so as to move inadirection su stantially parallel with and opposed to the feed as theloopers enter their respective needle thread loops. Also associated witheach looper is a movable spreader which en gages the looper thread andholds it away from the body of the looper during the back ward movementof the latter so as to'insure the needle passing downwardly between thelooper thread and the body of the looper. The specific detailsillustrated in the drawings of the above features form no part of thepresent invention except in combination with the needle guard, asthesespecific features, exclusive of the needle guard, are shown,described and claimed in the application tiled jointly by us October 17,191$), Serial No. 331,371, and, therefore, these specific details willonly be referred to briefly in connection with the drawings.

The machine consists of a bed plate 1 liav ing a work support 2 and anoverhanging arm 3 on which is mounted a needle bar 41; reci 'n-ocated inthe usual manner by a needle lever 5. Said needle bar is provided with across head 6 at itslower endin which is mounted four needles 7 8, 9 and10. Co operating respectively with these needles beneaththe work supportare loopers l1, l2, l3 and 14:. Each looper is of the threaded type andthe loopers are mounted on a looper sup porting shaft 15. The loopersupporting shaft 15 is oscillated for imparting oscillations to theloopers for moving the loopers into and out of their respective needleloops. The looper support 15 is. moved endwise for giving a needleavoiding movement to the loopers. The material is fed across the worksupport by feed dogs f, f and 7, which are carried by the usual feed barwhich is reciprocated' back and forth and raised and lowered in thewell-known manner. Cooperating with the feed dogs is a presser foot P ofthe usual construction- Associated respectively with the loopers 11, 12,13 and 14 are spreaders 16, 17, 18 and 19. These spreaders are carriedby a spreader supporting bar 20 which is mounted in suitable bearingsand is moved endwise by means of a link 21. The link 21 is connected toone arm of a bell crank 22. This bell crank 22 is provided with an arm23 which is connected to an eccentric strap 24 cooperating with aneccentric on the main shaft 25. This bell crank 22, through the link 26,imparts endwise movements to the looper support 15. The looper support15 is oscillated by a link 27 connected to a crank 28 on the end of themain shaft 25. These parts, as above noted, are all shown, described andclaimed in the joint application above referred to.

The loopers move in a direction substantially parallel with the line offeed, and also in a direction opposed to the feed as they enter theneedle thread loops. The loopers are moved laterally for a needleavoiding movement, and during their lateral movement the spreaders alsomove laterally but in the opposite direction, make contact withthe-looper threads of; the loopers with which they are associated, andhold the looper threads away from the bodies of the loopers for theentrance of the needles into the looper thread loops. From the drawingsit will be seen that the spreaders move in a path above the loopers.

The present invention is directed particularly to the construction ofthe needle guards for a machine of the type above set forth.

There is a needleguard for each needle, and

the needle guards for the needles 7, 8, 9 and 10 arerespectivelyindicated at 31, 82, 33 and 34. These needle guards as shown in thedrawings are independentlv mounted. Each needle guard is carried by acollar 35.

The collars for the respective needle guards are. mounted on the support20' which carries, the Spreaders. These collars may be moved endwise onthe support or turned about the support for positioning the needle guardproperly relative to the needle with which it is associated, Each collaris pro;

vided with a sleeve 36 into which the shank of the needle guard extends,and a set-screw 3T clamps the shank in the sleeve. This permits theneedle guard to be adjusted end wise in the sleeve and also turnedangularly in the sleeve if desired. "he spreader bar moves endwise,carrying the spreaders into engagement with the looper threads in amanner fully set forth in the application above referred to.

The needle guards, being mounted on the support 20 for the spreaders,will move laterally with the spreaders from a position shown in Fig. 3to a position shown in Fig. 6, and when brought to the last-namedposition each needle guard is so located relative to its respectiveneedle as to prevent the needle from excessive vibration and insure thatsaid needles will be properly positioned for the loopers cooperatingtherewith to pass the needles without striking the same. The needleguard is located on the side of the needle with which it is associatedwhich is passed by the looper cooperating with the needle during theforward movement of the looper.

Each needle guard is formed with a thread slot 38. The width of thisvslot is slightly less than the diameter of the needle. The slot opensoutwardly toward the needle and is positioned in line with the threadgroove in the needle. The purpose of this slot is to permit the freebowing out of the needle thread during the upward stroke of the needle.In other words, if the side of the needle at the eye thereof or slightlyabove the eye be engaged by the needle guard during the upward stroke ofthe needle, the free bowing out of the needle thread would be interferedwith, but by forming the slot so that the thread may bow outwardly intothe slot, then the needle thread loopwill be properly formed. The slotin the needle guard is slightly wider than the diameter of the thread sothat there is a free space for the passage of the needle, thread. On theother hand, the width of the slotis slightly less than the diameter ofthe needle so that the needle guard may engage the needle, if saidneedle is under excessive vibration or deflected, and properly hold saidneedle to its course of travel so that the looper will pass it withoutstriking it.

Then. again, the slot in the needle guard: serves to maintain the needlethread loop thrown out by the needle in a plane at right angles to thepath of movement of; the looper during the forwardimovement ofsaidlooper. There is a more or less tendency of-the needle thread loopto whip about the needle during the rapid movement of the needle, andthisis prevented by the slot in the nee. dle guard. It will beunderstood, of course, that if the needle remains. in its propervertical line, it would enter the loopenthread loop with certainty andthe looper, during its forward movement, would not strike and deflect orbend the needle. When the needle reciprocates rapidly it is often throwninto a lateral vibration, or is sometimes deflected by the threads ofthe fabric being sewed, or by a formed seam in the fabric, and it is toprevent these excessive lateral vibrations or deflections that theneedle guards are provided. The needle guard comes into proper positionat each stroke of the needle to hold it from lateral movement, and thisprevents lateral vibration and insures that the needle will remain inits proper line of reciprocation, so that the needle in its descent willenter the fabric in its normal line of reciprocation and pass the looperwithout striking the same.

lVhile we have shown the needle guards as independently mounted, it isobvious, of course, that any suitable means maybe provided forsupporting the needle guards and that from the broad aspect of theinvention this" means may not partake of any lateral movement. In orderto simplify the mecha-' nism, we have mounted the needle guards on thesupport for the spreaders, but there is no particular advantage flowingfrom the lateral movement of the needleguard; so far as its function isconcerned it might be held stationary.

It will be noted from the above that each needle guard is independentlymounted and, therefore, may be independently adjusted so as to'beproperly positioned relative to the needle with which it is associated.The spreaders are alsoindependently mounted and independentlyadjustable, although the needle guards and thespreaders are both carriedby the same support. It will be noted from the above description and thedrawings that the spreaders, as fully described in the copendingapplication, move in path above the loopers so as to engage therespective looper threads and hold the same away from the body of theloopers for each needle to pass between the looper thread and theloopers with which it is associated. It will also be noted. that theneedle guards are disposed beneath the path of the loopers as they moveinto and out of the needle thread loops. Certain of these needle guardsalso extend between the needles and across a plane containing theneedles so as to be disposed alongside of the needle faces which arepassed by the loopers as they enter the needle thread loops of theneedles with which they are associated.

The support 20 for the spreaders is moved endwise, as above noted, andsaid support held from rocking movement by an arm 28 which is clamped tothe support 20 and extends downwardly and is provided with a forked endstraddling the pin 20 From the above, it will be apparent that we havepermit a free bowing out of the needle thread loop.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may bemade without departing from; the spirit of the invention as set forth inthe appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1-- 1.The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arrangedin a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper foreach needle, means for moving. said loopers in a direction substantiallyparallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter theirrespective needle thread loops, and a needle guard for each needledisposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper asthe looper enters its needle thread loop.

2. The combination with a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a looper foreach needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantiallyparallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter theirrespective needle thread loops, and a needle guard for each needledisposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as.said looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guard having avertical slot formed in one face thereof adapted to receivethe needlethread loop. a

3. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged ina line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looperfor each needle,'means for moving said loopers in a directionsubstantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as theyenter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for eachneedle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respectivelooper as the looper enters is needle thread loop, and means forsupporting said needle guards and for moving the same laterally, each ofsaid needle guards being disposed so as to engage the side of the needlepassed by its respective looper as it enters the.

needle thread loop, provided said needle is deflected or vibrateslaterally out of its normalpath of travel.

4. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed. a threadedlooper for each needle, means tor moving said loopers in a directionsubstair tially parallel with and opposed to the direction, of feed asthey enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for eachneedle disposed at the side oi the needle passed by its respectivelooper as the looper enters its needlethread loop, and means torsupporting said needle guards and moving the same laterally, each ofsaid needle guards being disposed so as to engage the side of the needlepassed by its respective looper as the looper enters the needle threadloop, provided said needle is deflected or vibrates laterally out of itsnormal path of travel, each needle guard having a slot in the side facethereof adjacentthe needle oi? slightly less width than the diameter ofthe needle and forming a free space for the entrance ot the needlethread loop of the needle with which it is associated.

The combination oi a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arrangedin a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper foreach needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantiallyparallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter theirrespective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposedat the side or" the needle passed by its respective looper as the looperenters its needle thread loop, and means for independently supportingthe needle guards whereby they may be adjusted laterally and verticallyat their outer ends tor-properly positioning each needle guard relativeto the needle with which it is associated.

6. The combination of a feeding meeha niism, a plurality of needlesarranged in line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looperfor each needle, means for moving said loopers in a directionsubstantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as theyenter their respec-.

tive needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at theside of the needle passed by'its respective looper as the looper entersits needle thread loop, each needle guard having a slot formed in theface there 0t adjacent the needle with which it cooperates, each slotbeing of slightly less width than the diameter of the needle and:torming a free space for the needle thread loop o't the needle with:which it is associated, and means for independently supporting saidneedle guards whereby the same may be adjusted late-rally and verticallyat their free ends for properly positioning the same rela tive to theneedles with which they are associated.

7. The combination of a feeding, mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threadedlooper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a directionsubstan tially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed asthey enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for eachneedle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respectivelooper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guardhaving a slot formed in the face thereof adjacent the needle with whichit cooperates, each'slot being of slightly less width than the diameterof the needle and forming a free space for the needle thread loop of theneedlewith which it is associated, and means for supporting said needleguards whereby they may be adjusted independently in the direction oftheir length for properly positioning the slot in each needle guardrelative to the needle so as to permit the free bowing out of the needlethread of the needle with which said guard is associated.

8. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threadedlooper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a directionsubstantially parallel with and opposed to the direction or" feed asthey enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for eachneedle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respectivelooper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guardhaving a slot formed in the face thereof adjacent the needle with whichit coopcrates, each slot being of sli htly less width than the diameterof the needle and form ing a free space for the needle thread loop ofthe needle with which it is associated, means for supporting said needleguards whereby they may be adjusted independently in the direction or"their length for properly positioning the slot in each needle guardrelative to the needle so as to permit the free bowing out of the needlethread of the needle with which said guard is associated, and meanswhereby said needle guards may be adjusted vertically.

9. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged'in a line at right angles to the'line of feed, a threadedlooper for each needle, means for moving'said loopers in a directionsubstantially parallel. with and opposed to the direction of feed asthey enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for eachneedle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respectivelooper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guardhaving a slot formed in the face thereof adjacent the needle with whichit cooperates, each slot being of slightly less width than the diameterof the needle and forming a free space for the needle thread loop of theneedle with whichit is associated, means for supporting said needleguards whereby they may be adjusted independently in the direcar ssation of their length for properly positioning the slot in each needleguard relative to the needle so as to permit the free bowing out of theneedle thread of the needle with which said guard is associated, andmeans whereby said needle guards may be independently adjusted laterallyand vertically.

10. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threadedlooper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a. directionsubstan tially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed asthey enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader coopcratingwith each looper, a needle guard for each needle, and a common supportfor said spreaders and said needle guards.

1.1. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a. plurality of needlesarranged. in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threadedlooper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a directionsubstantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as theyenter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader cooperating witheach looper, a needle guard for each needle, and a common support forsaid spreaders and said needle guards, the support for said spreadersand needle guards being disposed in front of a vertical plane containingthe needles.

12. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threadedlooper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a directionsubstantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as theyenter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader cooperating witheach looper, said spreaders being disposed and movable in a path abovetheir respective loopers for engagin the looper threads to hold themaway from the body of the respective loopers, and a needle guard foreach needle'located beneath the path of travel of the looper with whichit is associated.

13. he combination of feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arrangedin a line at right. angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper foreach needle, means for moving the loopers in a direction substantiallyparallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter theirrespective needle thread loops and for giving said loopers a lateralneedle avoiding movement, a spreader cooperating with each looper, and aneedle guard for each needle disposed adjacent the side of the needlepassed by its respective looper as the latter enters its needle threadloop.

14. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a

threaded looperfor each needle, means for moving the loopers in adirection substantially parallel with and opposed tothe direction offeedas they enter their respective needle thread loops and for givingsaid loop- 'ers a lateralneedle avoiding movement, a

spreader cooperating with each looper, a needle guard for each needledisposed adjacent the side of the needle passed by its respective looperas the latter enters its needle thread loop, and a common support forsaid Spreaders and needle guards.

15. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a looperco-operating with each needle, and moving in a direction substantiallyparallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter theirrespective needle thread loops, aseparate needle guard for each needlelocated alongside of the needle with which it is associated and cuttinga vertical. plane containing allof the needles.

16. The comb'nation of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a loopercooperating with each needle, a sepae rate needle guard for each needlelocated alongside of the needle with which it is associated and cuttinga vertical plane containing all of the needles, and means for supportingthe needle guards whereby they may be adjusted in a direction parallelwith the line of feed.

17. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the. line of feed, a loopercooperating with each needle, a spreader cooperating with each loop'er,a support in front of the needles and loopers on which said spreadersare mounted, a separate needle guard for each needle mounted on thesupport for said Spreaders and extending 'rearwardly to a positionalongside of the needles with which they are associated.

18. The combination of a feeding mecha nism, a plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a

looper cooperating with each needle, a spreader cooperating with eachloo-per, a support in front of the needles and loopers on which saidspreaders are mounted, a separate needle guard for each needlemounted onthe support for said spreaders and extending rearwardly to a positionalongside of the needles with which they are associated, means formoving the spreader support endwise for giving to said spreaders alateral movement, and means for preventing the support from turning.

19. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a. plurality of needlesarranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threadedlooper cooperating with each needle, means for moving said loopers in adirection substantially parallel with and 0p- With each needle and belowthe spreader coposed to the direction of feed as they enter operatingWith said looper.

their respective needle thread loops, a In testimony whereof, We aflixoursigna- 10 spreader for each looper' located above the tines.

' path of IHOVGDISIlt of the looper, and a needle guard for each needlelocated below the JAMES R. MOFFATT. path of movement of the looperassociated RALPH S. KELSO.

